Project Black

[epipete]

Oh how I wish I'd had a carpet when I was doing mine...... or a garage......

Yea carpet is good, until you drop something on it and then slide your hand across it, resulting in a sliver of metal entering your finger, as happened to me when I was doing my out riggers.

It necessitated two unsuccessful attempts at A&E to dig it out eventually it pushed right through the finger and I could see it under the nail. I used a tiny drill bit between finger and thumb to make a hole in the nail after which I pulled it out with a pair of tweezers - took weeks.

You have been warned!!!!

[cliff]

Had my rack and pump done here.

http://powersteeringracks.co.uk

Very reasonable price. MIne was a pita with the engine out, well done for doing it in situ.

[par]

Par - I think there may be a few of us with a bit of play at the steering wheel. However when it gets too much (not sure how much though ??) It can become an MOT advisory and eventually a failure.

Incidentally, I have a brand new S2 rack in the yellow peril. It only cost £127.65 on the after sales list True cost of one of these at the time was £1279.52 so a bit of a Billy Bargain

Keep up the good work

PS if you want any more help in spending your hard earned, please let me know

Rambo - that is a bargain, if they had still been available i would have definitely bought one. I think I read the S2 rack was supposed to be an improvement on the SE, or is that just the Spinal Tap thinking that 11 is better than 10

Thanks guys on the suggestions of where to get the rack reconditioned, I have sent it off to a trade specialist through my mates garage so hopefully they can handle it, not sure if there is anything special about the rack that would make a refurbishment beyond their abilities! If not will have to check out the suggestions above.

[par]

Oh how I wish I'd had a carpet when I was doing mine...... or a garage......

Yea carpet is good, until you drop something on it and then slide your hand across it, resulting in a sliver of metal entering your finger, as happened to me when I was doing my out riggers.

It necessitated two unsuccessful attempts at A&E to dig it out eventually it pushed right through the finger and I could see it under the nail. I used a tiny drill bit between finger and thumb to make a hole in the nail after which I pulled it out with a pair of tweezers - took weeks.

You have been warned!!!!

Fair warning on the carpet - definitely noted, I might need to start hoovering the garage as that sounds painful

[par]

Still a long way to go but at least I still feel I am making progress. Had new bearings fitted to the hubs, good timing as one side was very rough and i dont think the other side was too far behind, new bearings are butter smooth so should make a difference when back on the road. Gave them a first coat of hammerite and will give them a second coat once they are dry.





Nice and sunny here today so gave the suspension rafts a clean and a good blast with the powerwasher:-





Need to give the fixing plates some TLC and and a lick of paint to tidy them up.

[par]

I did manage to pick up a couple of parts from the Lotus Aftersales List at a reasonable price, driveshaft assy LH and the radiator lower frame assy to replace the old rotten one:-

[Candles]

What's the PN of that radiator frame? Mine is in far worse condition than your old one!

Ta, Candles.

RIP Sy

[Brit-Car-Nut]

The original part number was D100A0556F but was changed to A100A0971F when they went to the R134 A/C system. Current price is £54.17 + VAT from Lotus.

I assume it is slightly different to fit the later Air Conditioning Condenser. The vertical mounts are different from the original one to the new one.

The Towing Eye Strut is B100A0635F and it too is still available but for £72.77 + VAT from Lotus.

[par]

The original part number was D100A0556F but was changed to A100A0971F when they went to the R134 A/C system. Current price is £54.17 + VAT from Lotus.

I assume it is slightly different to fit the later Air Conditioning Condenser. The vertical mounts are different from the original one to the new one.

It has a notch in the lower section where the towing strut is attached to provide clearance for the A/C condenser, everything else seemed to line up but will have a closer look tomorrow.

[Rambo]

Hey Par, just a thought ....

I was posting some photos yesterday of when I did my outriggers and jacking points early last year. Have you checked yours ?

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=17298

It might be another thing to add to the list Don't forget to remove all that absorbent wadding/underlay from beneath the carpets and replace with closed cell material. I've still got mine to do once the weather gets better but I've got a roll of the stuff in the garage (EBay)

[par]

Hey Par, just a thought ....

I was posting some photos yesterday of when I did my outriggers and jacking points early last year. Have you checked yours ?

I am keeping that can of worms for another day Rambo. I am deliberately taking the "ignorance is bliss" stance on this area as I want to get the use of the car during the summer (less wintery) months.

[Scott J]

I had carpet back a bit and trim off and outriggers looked OK, but that was relatively brief inspection and was 2/3 years ago.

[chrisP]

Par if you don't want to look , but do want to know about the outriggers (at least the back section). Poke a telescopic magnet down past the trim to the base of the B-pillar, if it comes back with lots of rust flakes, you will know that you need to investigate further. (or forget it ever happened )

[par]

I had carpet back a bit and trim off and outriggers looked OK, but that was relatively brief inspection and was 2/3 years ago.

Thanks Scott, hopefully its not too bad when I do investigate more thoroughly.

Par if you don't want to look , but do want to know about the outriggers (at least the back section). Poke a telescopic magnet down past the trim to the base of the B-pillar, if it comes back with lots of rust flakes, you will know that you need to investigate further. (or forget it ever happened )

Chris - Thanks for the tip, I used my telescopic magnet tonight and holding it 2 feet away from the car there was no sign of rust flakes so I remain blissfully ignorant

Saw the first Elan of the year on the road with the roof down yesterday so determined to avoid any more project creep and get it back on the road in the spring.

[par]

Been making slow but good progress lately removing bushes from the wishbones and TCA's, thats a job I dont want to repeat, plenty of bruises & blisters to show for it. Dropped a few parts off to be sand blasted and powder coated before I fit new bushes & ball joints.

Biggest relief has been getting the crank pulley bolt removed to carry out the timimg belt & water pump change. I read some of the horror stories on here and used a variation on a theme using a length of angle bar I had, note the artistic freehand drilling skills:-





It was ably assisted by this russian made electric impact driver, I wasnt sure if it would be up to the job but after a few prolonged attempts which dislodged a lot of rusty build up it then spun off. I was amazed at the amount of corroded material that came off which had to be broken through before the bolt would come loose.

[Rambo]

used my telescopic magnet tonight and holding it 2 feet away from the car there was no sign of rust flakes so I remain blissfully ignorant :bonk

Try holding it 2cms away, you'll probably drown under a rust tsunami

saw the first Elan of the year on the road with the roof down yesterday so determined to avoid any more project creep and get it back on the road in the spring.

Could've been me ? I'm the only mad bugger in Scotland that drives in winter with the top down I've been using mine quite a bit recently with this spell of good weather we've been having

[HJ2]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but this is an excellent topic!

[cliff]

Well done, getting there.

For removing the bushes, a blow torch and hacksaw became my new best friends. Not pleasant but easy, burn out the rubber and gently hacksaw what is left, it will then tap out.

My ebay Snap On impact driver breezed the drive shaft nuts but had no effect on the engine pulley bolt. I used the starter motor method, socket and long extension bar, very easy. I don't know how I managed without an impact driver for so many years, it makes so many jobs simple.

[par]

Got a few bits back from the powder coaters this week which has freshened them up nicely and should help protect them for the next 25 years:-



I found a small area of perforation on one of the TCA's when I removed them so asked for them to be given a good going over with the sandblaster to check the extent of the corrosion, luckily the corrosion is constrained to the one area so will get this cut out and welded up before giving it back to be powder coated:-

[par]

Think I have turned the corner and now starting to bolt things back onto the car rather than removing them. Got some help from Jamie N last weekend and replaced the timing belt, tensioner, pulley and water pump.

The old belt didnt look in bad condition but I guess you can never tell when they are going to let go.



Water pump was certainly in need of being replaced however I am sure it would have remained functional for a while:-



The bearings on both the tensioner and idler pulley sounded rough so they were approaching the end of their life. Old parts prior to removal:-



All replaced with new parts:-